Adelaide River, Northern Territory

Adelaide River is a town in the Northern Territory in Australia. It lies on the south bank of the river of the same name, 114 kilometers south of Darwin.

Adelaide River originated as a relay station of the Trans- Australian telegraph line to the parallel of the Stuart Highway was built, and here crossed the river. The by the discovery of gold in 1871 triggered in Pine Creek gold rush brought an economic boom for Adelaide River. That and the location of the place created a need for overnight accommodation. Hotel industry was born. Since 1873, the accommodations were offered. Shortly afterwards, the " QCE Hotel " was born (QCE should read: Quiet, Comfort, Ease ). 1879 was the site of a police station.

1888 reached the place, the Palmerston and Pine Creek Railway (later the North Australia Railway), which here - about halfway down the line - a larger station einrichtete in which the passengers had also a possibility to find some lunch. In 1976, the railway was shut down. In parallel to the old route, the central Australian railway was laid in 2004, its operation resumed, but here no longer has the train station and not keep their trains here.

During the Second World War up to 30,000 Australian and U.S. soldiers and hospital facilities were stationed in the vicinity of the place. At the same time it was a recreation area for the fighting in the area of Darwin troops. Remained from this time Soldatenfriedhof.

The old station building of the Northern Australian Railway was declared a National Monument. Since 1988, it houses a museum, which mainly represents the history of the place, the telegraph and the railroad. Get also is the old steel bridge rail on the Adelaide River.

View over the town to the river